Sorry to Bother You (2018)

[baumer]

Discuss

[That One Girl]

In comparison to other horse movies, this one’s a bit more messed up than War Horse.

[LonePirate]

STBY is probably the most infuriating movie of the year. The first third of the movie up until Cash receives his promotion is amazing. The humor and social satire are as sharp as anything released in years. The film is at its most engaging during this segment.

 

Once the second third begins and Cash becomes a Power Seller, the movie starts losing steam. Cash becomes a less interesting and less rootable character as he enjoys his success and navigates the drawbacks in his life that come with it. This personality change is almost cliche for movies of this nature as something is needed to drive the narrative and generate some conflict. While not as enjoyable as the preceding third, this portion of the movie is still interesting.

 

However, the movie fell apart for me in the third segment once Cash attends the party at Lift's house. While his rap at the party is perhaps one of the most biting social commentaries in cinematic history, the completely ridiculous, unnecessary, bizarre and horrific sci fi genetic twist that occurs ruined the movie. For me, it destroyed any good will and empathy generated by the movie. It served absolutely no purpose and it turned the movie into (more of) a farce of epically preposterous decisions. The twist made zero sense and served no purpose. As such, I cannot recommend the movie unless people stop watching after the rap scene and leave the film knowing that Cash is no longer working as a telemarketer at the end.

 

5/10 - overall

9/10 - first third

6/10 - second third

1/10 - final third

 

[The Panda]

 

6 hours ago, That One Guy said:

In comparison to other horse movies, this one’s a bit more messed up than War Horse.

I thought it was a pretty effective prequel to BoJack the Horseman

[filmlover]

This movie is B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Definitely highly recommended to anyone who complains that all movies are the same these days. Director/writer Boots Riley doesn't go after all of the topics he's trying to cover with total success, but it's well-acted (Lakeith Stanfield needs to be a star ASAP and I really dug how unhinged Armie Hammer is in this lmao), and never boring as it gets stranger and stranger as it goes along. I had the same reaction to this that I had to last year's Colossal: I don't know how or why somebody thought this up, but I sure as hell am happy it exists. B+

Edited July 16, 2018 by filmlover

[baumer]

STBY is probably the most infuriating movie of the year. The first third of the movie up until Cash receives his promotion is amazing. The humor and social satire are as sharp as anything released in years. The film is at its most engaging during this segment.

 

Once the second third begins and Cash becomes a Power Seller, the movie starts losing steam. Cash becomes a less interesting and less rootable character as he enjoys his success and navigates the drawbacks in his life that come with it. This personality change is almost cliche for movies of this nature as something is needed to drive the narrative and generate some conflict. While not as enjoyable as the preceding third, this portion of the movie is still interesting.

 

However, the movie fell apart for me in the third segment once Cash attends the party at Lift's house. While his rap at the party is perhaps one of the most biting social commentaries in cinematic history, the completely ridiculous, unnecessary, bizarre and horrific sci fi genetic twist that occurs ruined the movie. For me, it destroyed any good will and empathy generated by the movie. It served absolutely no purpose and it turned the movie into (more of) a farce of epically preposterous decisions. The twist made zero sense and served no purpose. As such, I cannot recommend the movie unless people stop watching after the rap scene and leave the film knowing that Cash is no longer working as a telemarketer at the end.

 

5/10 - overall

9/10 - first third

6/10 - second third

1/10 - final third

 

 

Yes, I just copied @LonePirate's post because I feel exactly the same way.

[Fancyarcher]

My review of Sorry to Bother You.

 

https://dailyuv.com/feed/963457?location=norwich-vt

[The Panda]

Still trying to figure out how to put to words exactly what I thought of this movie.  It’s wild, creative and definitely has something to say.

 

I don’t think all of it’s ideas were perfectly executed into the film, and there was some sloppy technical work.  But that’s all made up for by the bigness and boldness of the movie, as well as the strength in the performances.

 

It’s a hilarious film, and it’s really hard to knock a movie that’s this innovative in what it’s attempting to do, especially since it’s mostly successful.  Also that horse twist is historic, that extra bit of weirdness was great, and I lost it when stocks boomed after the video leaked out.

Edited July 19, 2018 by Pandamia!

[Barnack]

Agree that the movie loose steam and does not necessarily know how do end (the multiple and different ending sequence..... do not work)

 

But the start is so good and I liked the rest until the very very end.

 

Talking of sloppy technical work, was it my theater but was the movie full of ADR with lips that didn't match the voice ?

[Webslinger]

Dude. Seriously. DUDE. Even saying I was all-caps SHOOK is an understatement! Here's my more formal letterboxd review:

 

To viewers who bemoan the lack of originality and boldness in today’s movies, consider Sorry to Bother You as both a refutation of that assumption and a welcome blast of fresh air. Despite having never previously directed a feature film, writer-director Boots Riley delivers a well-crafted satire with visual and intellectual touches that register in equally powerful manners. Like Jordan Peele’s Get Out, it’s an extremely confident film that goes to surprising places and has razor-sharp observations about race and class in society. All at once, it’s a hilarious and bracing takedown of subtle racial discrimination (those white voices!), the public’s taste for mindless escapism, greed’s corrupting power, and the power corporations wield over individuals. And all of that is to say nothing of the unexpected twists and turns it takes in its final half-hour, which enhance the themes of the film while going to admirably bizarre places; some viewers will loathe these creative decisions, but I loved the audacity behind them. Lakeith Stanfield does very strong work in the lead role, selling his character’s conflicting thoughts about his occupation effectively and maintaining audience sympathy even in his lower moments; it’s an impressive jump to leading man status after memorable supporting performances in Short Term 12, Selma, and Get Out. The always-solid Tessa Thompson is also a most welcome presence as Stanfield’s love interest; she and Steven Yuen in a small-but-pivotal role as a union organizer are highly effective as agents calling on Stanfield’s character to follow his conscience. Though perhaps a bit underused, Armie Hammer gives one of his most memorable performances to date in a role that melds the smarminess he brought to his Social Network performance with stinging dark humor. I’d like to say more about the film, but to do so would ruin the surprises of a film so clever and surprising that viewers should experience it with little specific advance knowledge (and luckily, the trailers do not give away much of the film). Viewers who value inventive and provocative films ought to consider it a must-see.

 

A-

 

Stray Thoughts - I know spoilers are allowed here and all, but I'm tagging them anyway just in case any curious users who haven't seen the movie yet happen to be browsing: 

Spoiler

- I. Did. NOT see the horse twist coming. Seeing the horse-person fall out of the bathroom stall elicited genuine surprise from me! That said, right after it happened, I thought back to both the plate from a couple minutes earlier (which - because the powder hadn't been specified as cocaine yet - I thought could be an on-the-nose reference to snorting heroin) and the book cover on which Armie Hammer rides a horse. In retrospect, that book cover is a great visual manifestation of his character riding to riches on the backs of the (horse-)people he exploits.

 

- Per IMDB, Danny Glover's white voice was not Steve Buscemi. Like just about everyone else, though, I was sure fooled. (I also failed to identify Lily James as Tessa Thompson's white voice despite having just seen the Mamma Mia! sequel.)

 

- I laughed shamelessly every time "I Got the Shit Kicked Out of Me!" came on. As I'm sure countless others have observed, that show would have fit perfectly in Idiocracy. I also loved the dark satire inherent in the fact that Cassius has to get hit in the nuts repeatedly and get covered in shit before he can show his evidence of the mis-treated horse-people.

 

-...and I also loved the especially dark touch of having that video raise WorryFree's stock - not to mention the nutty people who then literally hail him as "the new Jesus" on the street afterward.

 

- Until the rap - which, like so many other parts of this film, has much more to unpack - I was convinced that Cassius had referred to his boss simply as, well... a certain word that begins with an "n." Up until that point, I thought it was a clever twist on conventions to have two guys who have "n-word privileges" get bleeped while saying the word in their white voices. Even so, it's still brutal to watch Cassius's incredibly dismayed reaction to being forced not only to rap, but also to see a throng of white people scream out a word that isn't theirs far more fervently than he does.

 

[CoolioD1]

makes the point it wants to make pretty early and then... continues.

 

i actually perked up at the horse stuff that's the kind of out there commentary that i love but he doesn't really stick the landing. could feel the energy leave the movie in the last fifteen minutes. a shame. stanfield is as great as always though. also i could tell that tune yards was doing the score before i even saw it in the credits her voice is so distinctive. that was pretty cool.

[DAR]

  I get that it was different and trying to say something.  But if it’s not executed well then what’s the point.  A big old nope from me

[dxmatrixdt]

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Edited December 1, 2018 by skunk works

[dxmatrixdt]

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Edited December 1, 2018 by skunk works

[Rorschach]

4 minutes ago, skunk works said:

@Rorschach double account?

[dxmatrixdt]

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Edited December 1, 2018 by skunk works

[dxmatrixdt]

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Edited December 1, 2018 by skunk works

[Rorschach]

32 minutes ago, skunk works said:

yeah whatever, your in the reptile klan of rules!

[dxmatrixdt]

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Edited December 1, 2018 by skunk works

[Ezen Baklattan]

While I can't say it's the best movie of the year by any means, it's certainly stuck with me a lot longer than a lot of other films in the territory. Yeah, it's not exactly subtle and sometimes kinds of rambles, but in a way it feels like part of the point. It's not so much an indictment of trump era politics as well as capitalism as a whole, and seeing one go as surreal, angry, yet consistently entertaining in a major multiplex is actually extremely rewarding. (I had similar feelings about Assassination Nation, but liked this a bit more.)

 

The cast, direction, script, visuals - it's all on point. I've really grown to love this movie.